GREAT Holes
No.3
PAR 3
YARDAGES
RIVER BEND GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
by BRUCE H. MATSON
12
BLUE:
133 yards
GREEN:
113 yards
RED:
100 yards
WHITE:
125 yards
bunkers, invading trees and failing infrastructure.” The redesign, however, was
stunning. In fact, the changes are so significant that the course is essentially a
Foster original. “My primary objective was
to redesign the golf course to reflect the
membership,” he offered.
The par-3 3rd hole provides an interesting
summary of the major aspects of River Bend’s
entire renovation. First, the hole is exciting,
challenging and visually stunning. Next,
located on the site of the club’s former dump
and maintenance shed, the hole testifies to
both the significance of the changes as well
as the creative eye of the architect. Finally,
routing the hole down a hill away from the
clubhouse permits the membership to enjoy
the splendor of the design far more often than
just when playing the hole.
Most great golf courses feature a short,
but challenging par 3. Consider the 12th at
Augusta National, the 8th at Royal Troon,
the 7th at Pebble Beach, the 17th at the
TPC Stadium course and fantastic one-shot
holes at Merion, Cypress Point and others.
These holes help “democratize” the game—
almost any player can select a club and have
a go at these beautiful, but often beguiling
holes. No. 3 at River Bend, fits in with this
list of great holes.
V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 6
The hole plays downhill from the clubhouse, featuring a 40-foot drop to a modest
green. With a bunker on the front right and
the creek coming in from the left, precision
is required. As Foster commented, “the
green is nestled quietly” below a modest
rise and above the hazard left. The putting
surface offers interesting contours and will
challenge the short game of those missing
the green or seeking birdie. Even for the
member or guest that pulls the tee shot
into the creek left of the green, the primary thought is not despair, but eagerness
to return and have another “go” at such a
wonderful hole.
With its quiet place in an otherwise
chaotic region, too few players realize
the extraordinary treat awaiting them
at the bend in the river. VSGA members
will have a unique opportunity to see this
“new” gem in May when the private club
hosts the VSGA Four-Ball Stroke-Play
Championship.
VSGA President Bruce H. Matson is a
writer from Richmond and a member of
Golfweek’s national rating panel for its
“America’s Best 100 Courses.”
vsga.org
RIVER BEND GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
B
efore northern Virginia experienced the explosive growth
that began in the 1970s and continued through the end of the
century, a new private country
club set down stakes in a quiet, somewhat
hidden corner of that region, near a bend
in the Potomac River. Before Lowes Island
(now Trump National), Avenel, Reston
National, and Alkongian moved into the
neighborhood, Ed Ault and Al Jamison
designed an 18-hole course in Great Falls in
1961 at that new club, which took the name
River Bend Golf & Country Club.
By the turn of the century, the golfing
grounds at River Bend were ready for
change. Known for highly praised renovation work at numerous courses including
Southern Hills and Colonial Country Club,
as well as Hermitage CC and Baltimore CC
more locally, the club engaged Keith Foster
to work on a master plan, which eventually
included a wholesale renovation of the golf
course. Foster’s work was completed and
available for member play in 2011.
Looking back on the original course at
the time the renovated layout reopened,
golf writer Jonathan Cummings explained
that the former setup had been known for
“old pushup greens, un-level tees, capped
BLACK:
147 yards